Three former England captains wade into row over future of Lord's

They once stood side by side on the field, but some of the sport's biggest stars have now been divided over the future of the Home of Cricket.

The debate that has raged for decade and already cost Lord's the support of a former Prime Minister finally looks set to be settled during a Special General Meeting of the Marleybone Cricket Club (MCC) next month.

But as the discussion draws to a close both sides have given their plans a final push, pitting former England captains Mike Gatting and Mike Brearley against their once team-mate David Gower.

David Gower says that a £100million windfall is 'not to be sniffed at' Credit:
Getty Images

Despite it's confidence that it will win the vote, the MCC has sent a slick video to members featuring Mr Brearley, Mr Gatting and Matthew Fleming, current President of the club and a former Kent and England player, extolling the virtues of the redevelopment "Masterplan".

The second plan on offer would allow property developers Rifkind Associates - who already own the tunnels under the Nursery End of Lord's - to build luxury flats in the ground in return for a £100million windfall for the club.

The committee argues that its own plans will ensure it remains that "finest cricket ground in the world" without damaging the "character and ambiance" of the ground.

Mr Gatting told members in the promotional video: "I am a great advocate for the updated Masterplan because it gives us what I say is a proper ground, a little village green with nothing other than grass and it will have a lovely feel about it.

Plans of what the Lords Cricket Ground will look like Credit:
F10 studios

"We won't have anybody inside our ground, so we will be in charge of our ground, nothing there that you can see apart from the cricket."

But those who argue against the plan are making one last ditch effort to change the minds of the committee by whom Mr Gower says that the "the great body of membership normally prefers to be led like red and-yellow-tie, blazer- and cap wearing sheep".

A draft letter, which has already been sent to the chairman and chief executive and will be sent with signatures in the coming weeks, states: "None of us have any intrinsic wish to see residential development at Lord’s for its own sake. However, given the inordinate benefits that a Morley-type plan offers, we are persuaded that this is a price worth paying."

The letter, seen by the Telegraph, adds: "This is the moment to secure Lord’s future to the benefit not so much of ourselves but of the next generation, those to whom, as custodians, we owe a substantial responsibility."

Mr Gower argues that the aesthetics in the plans by developers are better, including the replacement of the outside "prison wall", and that a £100million windfall is "not to be sniffed at" in uncertain times.

He said: "The way that this is being portrayed by the club is one sided. "

The famously elegant left handed batsman added: "There are two fields full of grass, both have high quality grass, but one field will cost more than the other."

Plans for the redevelopment of the Lord's cricket ground Credit:
F10 Studios

Other disgruntled members argue that the committee and the club members - who have an average age of 61 - are concerned only with the here and now.

One said: "Because the committee like the members are largely elderly by the time we are able to judge the consequences in 20 years none of them will be around to be held to account. This is about the future."

Plans for the 200-year-old ground have been dogged by controversy since 1999, when the MCC failed to purchase the redundant tunnels under the eastern edge of the ground from Railtrack and the land instead went to Charles Rifkind's property development company.

By 2007 plans had been put forward for The Vision, which involved redeveloping the ground and building flats in exchange for a £100million windfall for the MCC.

The plans were pushed forward by a development committee which included Sir John Major, Mr Gower and Mike Atherton but abandoned in 2009 after the recession hit and the chairman Oliver Stocken decided it was too risky.

Sir John eventually resigned and one member suggested that the handling of the affair has left the committee reluctant to backtrack and correct earlier mistakes.

But the MCC argues that it only reached the decision after thousands of hours of analysis, two sets of lawyers, five Principal committees and an Editorial Board.

It had consultation responses from 4,800 of its 18,000 members, of which 1,800 of those chose to write their objections on the back of the survey form. Ten to one were against flats being built, a spokesman said.

The committee has dismissed the letter on the grounds that they believe they have the support of the majority of the members.

Gerald Corbett, the MCC committee chairman, said: "It is what the members want, it is what the sub committees want and it is what we want.

"It is one of the easiest business decisions I have had to take: nobody wants flats, we don't need flats and it is a lousy deal we couldn't recommend anyway."

Despite their own review noting that the "longer term future of Test cricket is not certain", Mr Corbett said that they were confident that they could find the project and remain financially solvent.

"For 21 of the last 25 years we have had two tests, we always fill the ground and over 100,000 people come to watch the tests," he added. "We are the home of cricket and the greatest cricket club in the world."